Fire-escape



(No Model.) A

' A. SAMPLE.

` FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 428,635. Patented May 27, 1890.

mmwwumunw UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE. l

ALZINA SAMPLE, OF HUDSON, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 428,635, dated May 27, 1890.

Application led March 18, 1890. Serial No. 344,370. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, ALZINA SAMPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hudson, in the county of Lenawee and State Of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art tO which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters Of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in life-saving appliances which are especially designed to facilitate the escape from burning buildings,'the

device being placed in the most convenient place, preferably on the front of the building just below the Window-sill.

To this end the invention aims to provide a case 'for inclosing the escape-ladder, which when detached at its upper end will unfold and lie close to the wall, so as not to interfere with the running Out of the ladder or Offer an obstruction to the escaping person. l

The improvement consists, iirst, Of a case the front and bottom of which are hinged together and tO the back, so as to lie close to the building when unfolded, the top also being hinged to turn down out Of the way. The sides of the case increase in width from the top to the bottom to adapt the case to the form Of the ladder in its folded condition.

The improvement also consists in the novel features of construction, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims, and which are also shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a perspective showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the appliance, showing the same as it appears when folded. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion Of the escape-ladder, showing the manner Of connecting the links and the rungs.

The case comprises the box A, sides a c, hinged top B, bottom C, and front D. The top B is hinged so as to raise up out of the way when the ladder is run down, and the front D and bottom C are likewise hinged together and to the backA to hang close to the wall when the ladder is in position for use,

as shown in Fig. l. The front- D is provided at its edges with cleats d d, which exclude snow and rain. Vhen the case is closed, the front D is hooked to the top B in any suitable manner, so that it can be readily disengaged in an emergency.

The ladder, which is iiexible, so as to fold within the case, is secured to the top portion of the case in any desired manner, and is provided at its lower end with an anchor F, the ends of which are driven in the ground at a proper distance from the building. The foot Of the ladder is secured tO this anchor, thereby inclining the ladder from the building. The sides ofthe ladder are composed of links G, which are looped together at their ends, and the rungs have their ends looped into both eyes between two of the links, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.. The links and rungs are preferably made of stout wire suiiiciently heavy to sustain the weight of a heavy person.

To use the appliance the front is unhooked Or disengaged from the top Of the case, when the ladder will drop, the case unfolding and hanging close tO the building. The sides a a and the cleats d d, being fixed, serve as guides to cause the ladder to fall in a true vertical line.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tO secure by Let-- ters -P-atent, is-

l. In a'life-saving appliance, the combination, with the flexible ladder, of a case composed Of a back having sides, a hinged top, and a front and bottom hinged together and to the back, the front having cleats to lap within the said sides, substantially as described.

2. In a life-saving appliance, the combination,with a flexible ladder, Of a case composed of a back, tapering or slanting sides, a hinged top, and a front and back hinged together and to the back, the said front having cleats to Overlapl the tapering sides, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALZINA SAMPLE.

IOOl 

